


Freedom

by queenbaskerville



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon Disabled Character, F/F, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Sexual Content, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 05:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3798448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbaskerville/pseuds/queenbaskerville
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sieglinde finds that realizing she was in a bad situation and escaping it leads to new freedoms and friends. She also finds that realizing that friends can turn into something else brings different freedoms entirely. </p><p>Very minor sexual content in chapter two. Sieglinde is fifteen-going-on-sixteen and Lizzy is recently-turned-seventeen. I don't know if this counts as "underage" or not (it's pretty much just what qualifies as foreplay at the most tbh) but I marked the warning anyway just in case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally meant to be three chapters, with the third exploring a Sieglinde/Lizzy/Ciel relationship, but I got lazy. If anyone wants to tackle that go right ahead.
> 
> I love modern kuroshitsuji aus sometimes. I have a lot of feelings about the universe this fic takes place in in particular, but this fic only touches on a few of those feelings.

Sieglinde owes her life to Ciel Phantomhive, she knows.

Wolfram and Sebastian, too, but mostly to Ciel. Ciel was the one who came into her life and broke all the rules; Ciel was the one who ordered Sebastian (and there's something wrong there, something about those two she hasn't quite figured out, but maybe she isn't ready for that bit of knowledge just yet) to look into some things that didn't add up that she just never paid attention to. Ciel was the one who pulled the wool away from her eyes and revealed that no one she knows is a sheep, not really. They were all wolves; sharp teeth and claws and snarls.

Wolfram begged for forgiveness. He'd known all along about the mayor's wicked ways, and he should never have lied to Sieglinde, and he shouldn't have broken her feet, even though the mayor- her _mother_ \- ordered it. He shouldn't have followed the wishes of her "aunties," and he shouldn't have let them use and twist her mind.

"If you do not forgive me, little lady," he had said, kneeling, after begging with tears running down his cheeks, "I'll understand. It's okay. It's alright. You never have to see any of us ever again, I know the Phantomhive boy and his swarm of lawyers can guarantee that. You're going to be safe, for real this time. Just remember that you're not a witch or a monster, no matter what your mother said to you. You're not someone to be used. You're a wonderful, ordinary girl."

Of course she had forgiven him. Of course.

She lives with him now in the little house on the edge of the city, almost in the suburbs but not quite. Wolfram is a loyal and caring guardian, just like before, and a little over protective, just like before. Sometimes she catches herself staring out her classroom window at school and missing her aunties and mother-mayor with an ache that hurts. Sometimes she wishes she didn't know, wishes Ciel had never revealed the truth, but most days she is breathless with the realization that she is truly free. She can sit outside and read whenever she wants to, her studying and schoolwork is only rigorous when she wants it to be, not because someone is forcing her down a path full of hard work she doesn't want. She isn't restricted too much, she can eat what she likes and wear what she likes and she can _like things_. 

"Sieglinde! Sieglinde, your arms must be tired, let me push you to your next class." 

She can like people, too.

She's probably supposed to feel some sort of guilt for developing a crush on Ciel Phantomhive's childhood friend and on-again, off-again sweetheart, but she hardly ever does. Elizabeth Midford is beautiful. Blonde and bright-eyed with a beaming smile, Lizzy had been a little jealous of Sieglinde's friendship (can it be called that? She hopes so) with Ciel at first, but Lizzy had warmed up to her soon after. Sieglinde and Lizzy became close to inseparable, much to Ciel's chagrin and Wolfram's delight.

"My arms never get tired," Sieglinde says with a smile. "I suppose I don't mind if you wheel me around, though. I like being pampered."

"Don't we all?" murmurs Lizzy with a sigh, and then she begs Sieglinde to come to the spa with her on Friday after school for some girl time, and Sieglinde knows she can never really wish the knowledge about her family away. She's free because of it.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The minor sexual content is basically some light touches & kissing at the end of this chapter. 
> 
> Sieglinde & Lizzy go on a not-date instead of to a dance.

Elizabeth Midford is something else. Sieglinde Sullivan might just be falling head over heels.

No, she's already fallen.

Lizzy is kind, sweet, and exuberant, sometimes to the point of being exhausting, but she started to show more of her mature, solemn side as she grew up, and it was wonderful to see. Sieglinde sees and knows of her in some of her happiest moments- placing first in a national fencing competition, fiercely protecting Ciel in one of his rare moments of weakness, making A's and B's and grinning wide, finding the perfect present for her beloved brother- and some of her worst- throwing a tantrum over something so trivial no one remembers what it was, jealously glaring at Sieglinde for a few weeks, at least, hiding and crying because the pressure to be perfect is too much, snapping at Sieglinde after a particularly painful breakup with Ciel.

Sieglinde likes to think she knows Lizzy fairly well. It's why she's not surprised when Lizzy plops down in front of her in the school cafeteria, looking half miserable as she stares at her food, and announces that she and Ciel have broken up again.

"I don't know who I'm going to go to the dance with now," she groans, and she puts her head in her hands. "I dont want to spend the night alone."

Sieglinde, half in love and worried for her friend's happiness, blurts out, "You could go with me."

Lizzy looks up, her head movement sharp, but her face is curiously blank.

Sieglinde backpedals rapidly. "Just as friends, you know. But no one else has to."

"Will you dance?" Lizzy asks. "I wouldn't want you to be bored the whole time."

It's almost a relief that Lizzy doesn't object right away, but Sieglinde frowns, considering that new problem. She loves her feet, they're a part of who she is, but it's a little frustrating and inconvenient when you can't dance with the girl you love.

She gets over the frustration quickly. It doesn't matter that much, and she loves herself and her feet. What's important is spending time with Lizzy. "I dunno, I hadn't really thought about that."

"Let's just go out to eat that night, just you and me," Lizzy says impulsively, and Sieglinde blinks.

"You sure?"

"Of course. I love you and it's not like there won't be other dances in the future." Lizzy opens her milk carton and Sieglinde ignores the twisting over her stomach when she hears "I love you"- she knows that Lizzy doesn't mean it in a romantic way, but almost wishes she didn't know, almost wishes she could trick herself into believing she liked her back. 

Lunch passes, and the week passes, and Wolfram helps the frantic Sieglinde find the perfect outfit for her not-date with Lizzy.  

"I'd suggest either the violet sweater or the green blouse," Wolfram says, holding each on a hanger in turn, and Sieglinde studies each (not-so-)patiently before selecting the violet sweater. It has the beginnings of a pretty diamond pattern at the neckline that comes down to mid-chest before fading out, and she really does like purple. Then there's the matter of her shorts and shoes and hair and make-up (how much? any at all? lipstick or no?) and Wolfram gently and calmly helps her make some decisions, knowing full well that getting emotional about her going out to eat with a friend would not help her anxiety at all.

Sieglinde ends up sitting perfectly still in front of the vanity as Wolfram brushes her hair and does it up in two buns, leaving her bangs in the front. She pencils on her eyeliner, does her mascara, and opts to skip the lipstick.

"You look beautiful, little lady," Wolfram says, and she can see proud tears pricking at the corner of his eyes as she wheels into the living room.

"Good," she replies, grinning, and she's about to thank him for his help when the doorbell rings.

"It's her," she and Wolfram say in hushed voices at the exact same time, and they make surprised eye contact for a split second before she bursts out laughing and he chuckles behind his hand. (He's getting better at displaying his emotions openly- even with all her restrictions as a child, she'd been the freer of the two in that regard.)

Wolfram goes to open the door and welcomes Lizzy inside with a respectful nod of the head. Both he and Sieglinde blink with surprise when she gives the younger girl a small bouquet of flowers.

"Aren't they pretty?" she beams, and Sieglinde bites back a "Not as pretty as you" because it would probably be the most corny thing she's ever said and she's not sure how Lizzy would take it, anyway.

Wolfram lets them go with a midnight curfew for Sieglinde and a wave to the both of them, and then Lizzy is driving them to the little restaurant, and Sieglinde hardly knows what she orders because she's so entranced by Lizzy's eyes.

They talk and eat and laugh, swapping fond childhood memories (only the fond ones) and talking about everything from school to the future to Ciel (which is surprisingly not painful or awkward) to even aliens. Lizzy really likes the X Files, Sieglinde learns. She hadn't heard of it, but now that she can watch TV, she's sure she can catch up.

Through the latter half of dinner there's a look in Lizzy's eyes and an expression on her face that Sieglinde thinks is familiar, but she can't place it. She looks at Lizzy, really looks, but only succeeds in bringing a blush to her own cheeks. She doesn't know what Lizzy's thinking. They order dessert, a large ice cream in a waffle-cone-type bowl coveted in cherries and chocolate syrup, and Sieglinde watches Lizzy watch her as they share it.

It's only as they're finishing up the last spoonfuls that Sieglinde recognizes it as the way that Lizzy looks at Ciel sometimes, when she's full of wonder and love. Sieglinde doesn't dare to hope that's really how Lizzy feels- no way, no how. It hurts to even consider the possibilty.

They don't drive away right after they leave the restaurant. Lizzy helps Sieglinde out of her wheelchair and into the passenger seat, as usual, but then she just stands there, watching Sieglinde certainly and looking almost... uncertain.

Something in Sieglinde says _oh, fuck this,_ and she leans forward and kisses Lizzy on the mouth.

She can feel Lizzy's surprise, and she pulls back just as quickly as she'd leaned in, and she can't bear to look Lizzy in the eyes because she doesn't want to risk seeing rejection. She doesn't regret what she's just done, but also knows she might have damaged their friendship, and that's the last thing she wanted.

"You don't have to stop," says Lizzy quietly, and Sieglinde looks back at Lizzy. Though she's blushing, her gaze is steady, so  Sieglinde kisses her again.

Lizzy kisses back this time, runs her tongue against Sieglinde's lower lip, and Sieglinde opens her mouth a little in response, and the two keep kissing, Sieglinde's hands coming up to hold Lizzy's face. She has to turn her body away from the dashboard to face Lizzy, and Lizzy angles her body closer eagerly.

Lizzy's hands are lower, one at the small of Sieglinde's back and the other ghosting over her stomach, fingers moving up and up until they brush lightly at her breast. Lizzy stops the kiss when Sieglinde tenses.

"Sorry," she says, sounding a little sheepish. Her blush is even darker than before. "We don't have to go any further."

"I wasn't expecting that," murmurs Sieglinde breathlessly. "I didn't know..."

Lizzy apologizes again, beginning to pull back and walk away, but Sieglinde catches her hand.

"Please," she says, and she looks deep into Lizzy's eyes so she knows she wants this. "I want to know so much more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In part based on [delightfulintercourse](http://delightfulintercourse.tumblr.com)'s art of [Sieglinde](http://delightfulintercourse.tumblr.com/tagged/sieglinde+sullivan) and [Lizzy](http://delightfulintercourse.tumblr.com/tagged/elizabeth+midford).


End file.
